9 Common Myths and Facts About Depression

Depression is a mental condition, which is often tough to comprehend and analyze. Leading life in depression makes one terribly vulnerable and then a time comes when life becomes agonizing and no support comes from anywhere. Hence it is really important to find out the myths and facts about depression, before it is too late.

Depression may occur to anyone, it is not gender bound, age bound or even demography bound. Some consider it as major psychological infirmity and attempt to recover by gulping down medicines. Some, unfortunately, despite consuming medicine, find no improvement in their condition and gradually experience worse to worst phases of life. Some think depression is curable if a person starts changing the lifestyle and tries to add happy episodes and do things that satisfy heart. But knowing about facts is important to identify the symptoms of depression. It is an undeniable fact that majority of suicides originate from depression.

Here, we have some common myths and facts about depression:

9 Common Myths and Facts About Depression

Find some of the myths and facts about depression, which can be an eye opener. Knowing the truth can help you deal with such situations better.

Myth #1: Depression is Seen in Lazy People

Some people believe that those who lead a lethargic life tend to be more depressed than those who are hard working. It is a common myth about depression that hard workers are less depressed.

Fact: Well, it is clinically tested, analyzed and concluded that a lethargic life may invite depression but over working turns people more depressed. Overworking can shape up a weird idea that they are exploited and life is nothing but a burden and bundle of responsibilities. The fact about depression here is that it is a complex medical condition so light working, heavy working or even laziness has nothing to do with it.

Myth #2: Sadness and Depression are the same

People who are consistently sad or unhappy for some reason, are often addressed as depressed. Sadness gets over in some time or when the reason of sadness is no more. But another common myth about depression is that, sadness is confused with depression.

Fact: Medical science proves that depression actually shows some changes in the brain, while it is not the case in sadness. When a person is depressed, on brain scanning the abnormal activity levels can be traced. Brain chemicals, which carry signals, behave abnormally when there is depression but not in sadness. This proves the fact that sadness is not depression.

Myth #3: Loved Ones Can Cure Depression

It is believed that people recover from depression when loved ones intervene. Lack of love and support causes depression and when the same is here, depression gradually fades away.

Fact: However the fact about depression and emotional involvement is here. Temporarily, emotional intervention may relieve one but it won’t cure depression entirely. Depression is the outcome of combination of number of factors like biological, genetic, psychological and environmental. So loving intervention may offer support or provide mental strength but won’t help in uprooting the condition completely.

Myth#4: Women Are More Depressed Than Men

A popular myth about depression that needs to be explained is that women undergo depression more than men do. Men are more practical than women and women are the worst possible victims of depression.

Fact: While, it is true that women are more sensitive in nature, the best thing about women is that they are expressive by nature. Similarly the worst thing about men is, they fight with their expression until they burst out. May be that is why some men, even after being depressed, seem normal and regular in their behavior. Men can hardly appear to be sad or heartbreaking as they are limited in their expression. It is when things turn out heavier and more complex to deal with, they become irritable, restless and sad.

Myth #5: Depression is Age and Reason Bound

It is thought that depression can be experienced during teen age, post thirties or in mid age. Death of husband, child triggers depression, often study pressure or physical disability may cause depression. Another myth is that depression is age and reason bound.

Fact: Researches have proved that depression may occur at any time, develop out of the blues even when you are enjoying carnival or leading a peaceful happy marital life. The fact about depression is that there is no such clinically termed list of causes, which can trigger depression. Any episode can trigger depression even surprisingly much happiness can generate depression.

Myth #6: Medicine is the Only Remedy

It is a common myth that depression can only be cured with medicine. With the right diagnosis when right drug is applied, depression cures gradually. Taking medicine is the only remedy to cure depression.

Fact: Taking medicine certainly is one of the best remedial actions but there are other therapies, which help to treat depression. Talk therapy in this case offers much help. When a person undergoes depression, many negative, off putting, unconstructive thoughts hover in mind. When all these thoughts are talked about, depression lessens down. It has to be kept in mind that criticizing a depressed person or didactic lecturing may make the matter worse. Hence, professional help of a counselor is the right way to manage depression.

Myth #7: Depression Means Crying

It is believed that people having depression, cry a lot and when things turn out horribly difficult to deal with, they cry their heart out. If a person is not crying it’s not depression.

Fact: Crying does not always signify depression vice versa depression does not come out through crying. There are cases where people who are severely depressed remain emotionally blank, they neither cry nor talk a lot. They remain silent for hours and days and this killing silence makes their social life difficult. Thus, the fact is that depression does not always mean crying.

Myth #8: Talking About Depression Can Worsen the Situation

It is a myth that talking during depression may worsen the situation as the depressed people make every attempt to convince the listener that why he or she is negative about things or why they cannot take people around them. During such course, things may turn upside down.

Fact: Talking helps anyways but that talking needs to be positive and constructive. Accentuating the positive is the best way to cut through the cobweb of negativity. It is known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The person involved in talking needs to infuse the depressed person with upbeat thoughts and a more positive mood. This again is an expert’s domain and a counselor is the best person.

Myth #9: Physical Activity Has Nothing to Do With Depression

An important myth about depression is that exercise has nothing to do with depression. As the condition is about the mind or mental health, there is no relation with physical exercises and physical health.

Fact: People hardly know about the positive results of moderate exercise which influences the physical as well as the mental aspects of health. Moderate physical exercise can fight the symptoms of mild to moderate depression.